“The vibrant colour of this rich antioxidant soup speaks for itself. You can really see the betacarotenoids in it.”p. 101

prep time:15 minutes

cooking time:20 minutes

Serves 4

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 large red (Spanish) onion, finely chopped

100 g (3½ oz/½ cup) coarsely chopped fresh ginger

6 carrots, chopped

2 x 400 g (14 oz) tins chopped tomatoes

375 ml (13 fl oz/1½ cups) tinned coconut milk

20 g (¾ oz/1/3 cup) chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves (optional)

1 lime

Crispy topping

2 teaspoons coconut oil

2 fresh long red chillies, sliced

2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

40 g (1½ oz/1 cup) coconut chips

Heat the coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger and cook for 2–3 minutes until golden. Add the carrots, tomatoes and 375 ml (13 fl oz/1½ cups) of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are very tender. Stir in the coconut milk, then remove from the heat. Using a stick blender, purée the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, to make the crispy topping, heat the coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chilli, chopped ginger and coconut chips and stir for 5–6 minutes until crisp.

To serve, ladle the soup into four bowls, scatter with the crispy topping and coriander leaves (if using), then squeeze a lime over.

+ note Tomatoes have the interesting attribute of being better for you when cooked. Cooking encourages the easier absorption of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that may even have a role in cancer prevention.

‘Images and recipes from All Day Café by Stuart McKenzie (Murdoch Books). Photography by Armelle Habib. RRP $39.99.’

Tomato, fennel and salmon soup with saffron aioli

Serves 4–6

“Inspired by bouillabaisse, this is a hearty and comforting soup, heady with the aroma of saffron. Throw in some mussels and prawns (shrimp) and you have a delicious seafood stew.” p. 204

Bouquet garni

1 orange, zest removed in strips with a potato peeler

1 cinnamon stick

4 star anise

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

6 bay leaves

6 thyme sprigs

Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) white wine

2 x 400 g (14 oz) tins diced tomatoes

1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) Chicken stock or Vegetable stock (page 151)

300 g (10 1/2 oz) skinless salmon fillet, diced

a small pinch of saffron threads

Saffron aïoli

a pinch of saffron threads

1/2 quantity Aïoli (page 111)

To make the bouquet garni, tie all the ingredients together in a piece of muslin (cheesecloth).

To make the soup, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel, garlic and chilli and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until the onion and fennel are translucent and starting to colour.

Add the wine, tomatoes, stock, salmon, saffron
and bouquet garni. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

To make the saffron aioli, put the saffron in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon water and leave to soak for 15–20 minutes, to activate the stamen and release the colour. Drain, discarding the water. Add the saffron to the aïoli and mix well.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with a dollop of saffron aïoli.

Images and recipes from More Please! By Manu Feildel with Clarissa Weerasena (Murdoch Books) $39.99

Oven-baked Ratatouille

serves 4 as a main or 6 as a side

“If you’re not a big fan of vegetables, I have a feeling this recipe from the south of France will change your mind. Ripe vegetables are baked together with garlic and fresh herbs, and the result smells like summer.” (p.150)

60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) olive oil

4 brown onions, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons thyme leaves

3 large zucchini (courgettes)

3 Japanese eggplants (aubergines)

6 truss tomatoes

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped rosemary

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Place a frying pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the onion for about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden, reducing the heat a little if the onion begins to catch. Add the garlic and 1 tablespoon of thyme and cook for 2 minutes. Spread the onion mixture over the base of a large roasting tin.

Wash the veggies and cut them widthways into 1 cm (½ inch) thick slices. Tightly arrange the vegetables in rows over the onion base, starting with the zucchini, followed by the eggplant then the tomato. Gently push the slices out so they sit in a diagonal pattern, exposing some of the flesh. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle over the rosemary and remaining thyme. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

“I’m going to put it out there: this may not be the healthiest breakfast or brunch dish you’ve ever had, but it might well be the tastiest. Beans, tortillas and eggs are amazing together and I especially like them with lots of fresh coriander (cilantro) and hot sauce. You’ll find most of the ingredients you need in a South American food store. Dry ricotta or another firm fresh cheese can be used as a substitute for the queso fresco.” (p. 14)

To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium–high heat. Sauté the onion and capsicum until soft and lightly browned. Add the oregano and cumin and cook for about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, enchilada sauce and stock, then increase the heat to high. Bring to the boil, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat to medium–low. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.

To make the tomato salsa, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Adjust the chilli, lime and salt to taste, then set aside.

Heat about 60 ml (2 fl oz/1/4 cup) vegetable oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Test the oil with a small piece of tortilla to make sure it’s ready – it should start to bubble immediately, but if it browns right away, it’s too hot. Place a corn tortilla in the oil and cook for about 30 seconds, then flip over and cook for another 30 seconds. (You want the tortilla to be golden but not hard.) Drain on a plate lined with paper towel and keep warm while you cook the remaining tortillas.

Wipe out the small frying pan and heat the refried beans, if using.

Meanwhile, fry the eggs in batches in a large frying pan (I like to leave the yolks runny).

Put two corn tortillas on each serving plate and top with the refried beans and fried eggs. Spoon the tomato sauce over the top, sprinkle with the cheese and finish with the fresh salsa. Serve immediately with your choice of extra accompaniments.

“I think this might be the healthiest breakfast you could have, and it goes ‑ from ‑fridge to plate in less than ten minutes. After a bowlful you’ll feel like a superhero all day! Eating this for breakfast also means that, before you’ve even started your day, you’ve had four great portions of veggies, which is awesome. If I’m not especially hungry I love eating this just as it is, but on hungry mornings or for busy days I add some bread (which is why I’ve put the recipe in this section) and, when I’m feeling like a total goddess, I add sauerkraut on the side for probiotic goodness!” (p.36)

Serves 1

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 garlic cloves, crushed

salt and pepper

6 chestnut mushrooms, very finely sliced

10 cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered if large)

juice of 1 lemon

50g spinach

½ avocado

Pour the olive oil into a ‑ frying pan and add the cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Let it heat and develop its fragrance for 2 minutes.

Add the mushrooms, tomatoes and half the lemon juice and let everything cook for about 3 minutes, at which point the veg should have softened.

Stir in the spinach and let it wilt for another minute or so.

Pile the vegetables from the pan on to a plate – or a piece of toast – and slice the avocado on top.

Drizzle the remaining lemon juice over the avocado and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper to serve.

Tweak It

Make this as a weekend brunch for all your friends and family. If they or you eat eggs, then enjoy some poached eggs with it. I do this at home and everyone loves it!

When I reviewed this book a few months ago I said when it is tomato season I will make the Tomato and Ricotta Tart. Yesterday I made the tart and tartlets.

Simple, easy, colourful and fresh. I think I prefer the tartlets – they are easier to hold and enjoy. I think you could also cut the pastry into rounds and cook base in muffin or jam tart type tray and have the perfect starter/cocktail food/ finger food.

I used store bought puff pastry sheets,ricotta, sundried tomatoes, eggs, cream and a dash of cream fraiche to thicken the base, three types tomatoes and basil from our garden. Once pastry base is just warm (cold works too) plate up with tomatoes mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Fresh, colourful, delicious. ** Hint – cut tomatoes into bite size pieces and let sit for 10 minutes or so to allow some of the juices to drain off.